Full Moon in Scorpio

Full moons are a culmination of light and energy. A moment of climax and letting go. In astrological terms, full moons serve to illuminate what is hidden on a psychospiritual level, in relation to the sign in which the full moon is occurring. This full moon is happening in the sign of Scorpio, which itself represents the hidden: our deeper selves; what is beneath the surface. The shadow and the shaman. More than any other lunation of the year, this full moon in Scorpio is an opportunity to go deep; to gain access to places in ourselves we didn’t even know existed. It is like the soul equivalent of the Midnight zone: an area of the sea between 1,000 and 4,000 metres below the surface, which is in perpetual darkness. An aquatic version of the underworld; a place where the strange and powerful (and bioluminescent) dwell.

The concept of the underworld is a meaningful one in relation to Scorpio, as its modern ruler is Pluto, the Roman interpretation of the Greek god of the underworld, Hades. Scorpio’s ancient ruler is Mars but, with the discovery of Pluto in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, its rulership was changed. Why? This is what Stephen Arroyo has to say about it in Astrology, Karma and Transformation.

“Since its discovery, there have been many attempts to clarify the meaning of this planet... [but]... It seems as if there is always something hidden abut Pluto, something subtle and difficult to conecptualise in ordinary logical terms. Everything connected to Pluto is slightly out of the ordinary, a bit eccentric, and indicative of a realm of cosmic immensity that boggles the mind. This is true not only of the planet’s function astrologically, but also of the movement of the planet itself.”

“Seen in the light of reincarnation and the law of karma, the influence of the planet Pluto might be clarified. For example, transiting Pluto has the effect of destroying and eliminating old psychological patterns, which can be seen as the residue from past life thoughts and actions. If each person (or soul) has lived many lives in many different bodies, it seems reasonable that the memory and impressions of all these lives’ actions and thoughts still lie in the unconscious mind. It then follows that such subliminal patterns of thought and action might easily become activated in our daily lives and interfere with our functioning as free, fully conscious entities.”

Not only is this full moon in a sign ruled by Pluto, but it is also in a T-square with the planet (Pluto in Aquarius). A T-square is an astrological configuration whereby two planets (or celestial bodies) oppose each other (at 180 degrees apart), and a third planet squares them both (at 90 degrees from both). This relationship creates an energetic tension that can bring challenges and difficulties, but also an opportunity for radical growth. Essentially, a T-square shows us the necessity of coming to terms with our own sometimes unnameable complexity.

Scorpio is totally on board with necessity; with the necessity of (oftentimes difficult) self-investigation. Looking at what is uncomfortable. Bringing the hidden into the light. There is something unflinching about Scorpionic energy. It has the innate knowing that transformation involves purging – Scorpio is the sign of death, rebirth and transformation – and this can be uncomfortable BUT it is only through the transient discomfiture and destruction and elimination that the deepest, truest, most authentic change can happen.

If you are able, right now, sit for a moment and feel what you are feeling. Breathe into it. Name it. Identify it. Stay in it for a little while. Then see what’s under that feeling. Feel it and be in it. Breathe into it. And then see what’s under that. Go deeper. Descend deeper and deeper down into your hidden inner world. Keep going into your emotional underworld. This is the moment to investigate and deep dive into its complexity – emotional complexity is a huge theme of this full moon – and know it. What is being revealed to you? What can you let go of?

As with any full moon, we are working with an axis of energy. The moon is in Scorpio and the sun and Taurus here. Taurus is the salve to the wound. The simplicity to the complexity. After purging and going deep, we can nurture ourselves and our bodies. Integrate and ground. After any deep work or ceremony, it is necessary (that word again) to come back to our bodies and our earthly experience. We can work with beautiful, embodied, nurturing, safe Taurus energy here to help us come back from the underworld and consolidate our deep learning.

On April 20th, just a few days before this full moon in Scorpio, Jupiter and Uranus became conjunct in Taurus. Jupiter is about expansion and Uranus disruption. Their union manifests in rapid, necessary change; creating movement and expansion beyond perceived limitations. Jupiter and Uranus align every 14 years or so, but they have only aligned in Taurus five times over the past millennium. And they won’t be conjunct again until 2107. On a personal level, they awaken our potential and the feeling that anything and everything is possible. In terms of this full moon, this Jupiter Uranus conjunction supports expansive, deep-diving, self-investigation. Like Scorpionic energy, this conjunction is at home with transformation.

How to work with the energy of this full moon in Scorpio? Sitting with ourselves with the intention to go deeper and deeper behind and beyond each emotion that comes up, as detailed above, can be a revelatory practice. Really give yourself space for this practice so your discovery doesn’t have any limitations placed on it. After this deep investigation, grounding and getting in touch with the earth is very important. Nurturing yourself. Cooking nutritious food or having a beautiful bath to soothe you (Scorpio is a water sign, so water practices are meaningful). To really go deeper and get Plutonic – and this moon is so encouraging that – this guided Pluto Meditation for Courage, Change and Rebirth is super powerful. Travis, from Healing vibrations says that “in this sound bath, we've used the note C to connect us with Earth and to ground us while providing our foundation, D to connect with Pluto and the emotional transformation it represents, A to connect us with our vision so that we may have clear sight for the transformational death and rebirth we may experience during this great change and lastly the note B to connect to the higher wisdom within each of us to know our place and trust the great changes that are to come in our lives.”

Image credit: Leon Pauleikhoff on Unsplash

Stephen Arroyo quote from Karma, Astrology & Transformation (CRCS Publications 1992) p. 51 / p.57

Lynsey Allett23 April 2024